Tears in time
by crimeson-plasma
Summary: She had died a long time ago at the hands of an orc, and Thranduil had never quite managed to forget her. Not even when he had married another elf and had a son. And yet here she was, in his prison and in the company of thirteen dwarves. Written for a trade, Thranduil/OC.


Here is the story wonderful I-see-ghosts requested in our trade. I hope you like it! :D

Before anything though, I'll explain the backstory of this one. The story requested was one of Thranduil and her original character character (Ava, a maiar and the oracle of Eru). Ava went to Middle Earth as an elf and fell in love with Thranduil long before Legolas was born. However after some time she had to return to Valinor, but as she had lied to Thranduil about being an elf she faked her death and 'died' in his arms by an orc arrow. Thranduil then got his wife and had Legolas, but years after Ava returned to Middle Earth in her elven form to help Bilbo and Thorin in their mission.

I must admit that whilst I normally am not too given to OC stories I fell in love with this concept. I also originally intended to post this yesterday, but then editing and more perfectionism than usual happened. Here it is though! It also ended up being longer than I expected. Anyways, enjoy and please comment saying what you thought! 

Disclaimer: Like always, I own nothing.

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The light dressed the halls in silver as I walked towards the dungeons. It was night time, and that fact was made even more obvious by the light and very atmosphere that surrounded me. The peace that would have normally flooded the halls was only tainted by the events that had taken place that day and the suspicion that resided in my mind. One that I could not get rid of and had forced me to take the actions which I was taking currently.

I was walking slowly, carrying myself with a light pace towards the place where I had perhaps been at the least during my reign. I had hardly visited or been at the dungeons more than necessary in the past, not without a reason at least. Silence reigned in the halls more than anything else, and I couldn't hear even my own breathing or any occasional chatter made by guards. A strange calmness had seeped into every pore of the halls. Quite a strange thing, if one took into consideration the events that had occurred throughout the day and the prisoners that now resided within my walls. Thorin Oakenshield, twelve other dwarves and an unknown person had been captured. Even they seemed to be quiet now though, which perhaps was the strangest thing of all if one thought about the audience I had had with the king under the mountain mere hours ago. Specifically about how badly it had gone, however.

'_A suspicion, that is all'_ I recited mentally again.

The thought had been consuming me for hours, ever since the captured group of travellers had arrived. If it had only been the dwarves I wouldn't have been troubled at all, but the stranger's presence changed everything. That stranger… There was something about the tall, human-like figure that called my attention. Something that called back memories long past, which would and could never happen again. Something which roused suspicion and a strange hope-like feeling in me. A completely wishful feeling. Logically impossible. _She_ had died a long time ago, after all.

I took another step towards me, having now entered the area that was the dungeons. I came to a halt, and listened carefully. The same silver light shone all around me, but this time it was accompanied by vague mutters and words, as well as breathing. Too quiet to distinguish completely, but loud enough to notice.

'_Just a suspicion'_ I recited again. It was just as suspicion indeed. _She_ had died. _She_ was dead, and I had been painfully aware of that fact for far too long.

Golden metal bars soon were too many too ignore, and I advanced amidst empty cells leading only to more empty cells. Despite this, it would soon change. I would soon calm my suspicions and know what was going on. There was something about the situation which was not right, after all. Something which called to my attention in a way I could not avoid. I had to be wrong. I had to be! It was impossible, and yet I couldn't help but feel the need to do this, to investigate this. An almost _physically_ _unavoidable_ need.

"My leige, I was not informed that you would come here" I heard a female voice suddenly say.

I looked up, calm as always, and faced my captain of the guard. "I wished to talk with the prisoners, to ask them a question".

The captain of the guard, the Silvan elf who had served me dutifully and loyally nodded. "Do you wish for me to open the doors and take them for an audience?" she asked.

I shook my head. "No, it will just be a moment. It is just… a curiosity I have. There is no need to take any formal steps." I suddenly doubted whether I would want to ask about my suspicions in the presence of another, "you can go take care of whatever other affairs need to be taken care of instead, or none if there are none".

She nodded again, understanding. "Very well, my liege" she then said before turning around and starting to walk away, undetectable.

I smiled gently and nodded, before continuing my path and starting to look at the cells. These were all holding the dwarven prisoners we had taken. However, I did not know which one held the fourteenth stranger. The one that was too tall to be a dwarf at all, as well as too elegant and too graceful in walk to be one.

A young dwarf glared at me as I scanned his cell. He was holding something between his hands, a black stone with some markings of sorts on it. He muttered something in Khuzdul under his breath, and I could not help but wonder what had triggered it, if just my presence or if it had been something else. It did not matter though, I had other matters at hand.

'_There'_ I soon realised.

I turned around abruptly, and walked towards the last cell in the area as my robes fluttered behind me, suddenly filling the silence of the halls. Within the rather small cell were two people, two members of the company which had been captured: the king I had held an audience with before, and the stranger. The former did not look pleased at all to see me, unsurprisingly, and was standing close to the door of the cell. The latter, however, was standing amidst the shadows of the back. Covered by the same thick cloak which whomever hid beneath it had been covering themselves with when first captured. I stood still for a number of seconds, trying to focus on the stranger. The shadows stopped me from being able to recognise anything though. The figure was leaning against a wall, apparently staring at me. Silence soon prevailed again, with the exception of the breathing of the dwarves, but this was put to an end once again when Thorin Oakenshield spoke.

"What is it you are doing here, Thranduil? I thought you said our audience had finished" he said.

"And it did indeed, master dwarf. Other matters bring me here. I wish to speak to your fourteenth member, the one hiding in the shadows" I said.

Thorin frowned at that, and looked about ready to say something when the cloaked stranger hiding in the back of his cell stepped forwards.

"Is it me you wished to speak with?" a female voice suddenly said. It was a sweet and calm voice, one filled with ages of feelings unknown, joy and beauty. A voice reminiscent of one I had long ago known. Songful and soothing. _Mellifluous_.

My eyes widened at this. I could recognise that voice! That voice… I blinked and focused more on the cloaked figure, who was moving towards me. However the heavy hood that covered the female's head stopped me from seeing anything. Thorin Oakenshield moved to a side, scanning me first. But upon seeing my expression, and perhaps noticing the many things I was feeling, decided to step back and into the shadows of the cell.

"I… who are you, stranger?" I asked, for the first time in ages not sure about which words to pick.

The stranger chuckled at my indecision, undoubtedly sensing the rareness of the situation. "You wished to speak with me, did you not my liege?"

I nodded, still not knowing what to say exactly. I had planned many ways in which to start this during my walk here, however now they were all gone. "I indeed did" I said. That voice… it couldn't be! Had I been right to suspect something? However…

"Very well, what is it then you wished to say to me?" the stranger said with evident amusement. I would have sworn she was smiling if I could.

I remained quiet for a number of seconds before answering, and instead looked at the person who was now standing right in front of me, at the other side of the golden and refined bars. I could still see the dwarven king out of the corner of my eye, but he wasn't important right now. She, whomever she was, was wearing a heavy black cloak with inscriptions on it. I could also notice what surely had to be light armour of green colours under it, and tall leather boots and some other leather materials. All of good quality. I was sure she would have normally carried a weapon of sorts with her as well, but whatever it was she had carried had been taken away before.

"You remind me of someone whom I lost long ago. I merely wished to see if you were that person" I said honestly, after a while.

She chuckled at this. "Who could I possibly remind you of that merits a visit of this kind?" Yes, she was definitely smiling.

I said nothing, and instead kept looking at her, trying to discern her appearance. She chuckled again at this, probably thinking it amusing, and decided after a few seconds pull down the hood that had been covering her face and reveal herself.

"The world hasn't changed you, Thranduil. Not truly" she said. There was a strange sentiment in her voice, one which I could recognise from ages long past, but had never expected to hear again.

My eyes widened, and I felt a surge of feeling fill every fibre of my being as recognition settled in. "You… died. How? You cannot be her!" I said, suddenly nervous and shocked, fearful and strangely happy. My knees felt suddenly weak, and yet I did not move from my position nor make any attempt to get closer. I was too shocked, too surprised. She didn't answer at this, and instead looked at me with a sad smile on her face.

Before me stood a figure that I had known too well, ages ago. Until she had died, of course. This had happened a long time ago, however. And yet here she was standing, exactly the same and without a single scar. None of the blood or wounds which I remembered had caused her death were there, not even the ones that had been made in such proximity by orcs. None of them… and yet…

I brought one of my hands up and clutched my temple. It couldn't be, I had to be imagining this, it couldn't be happening. It was too good. And yet there she was, the tall and beautiful figure of the elven woman which I had loved so many years ago. _Alive_, despite all logic. Orange hair, now alight by the silver light that filled the halls, was braided and wrapped around like a bun. The heavy black cloak still covered her entirely, but I could see more clearly the light armour she was wearing. She was looking intently at me with light eyes, the same colour as they had been so much time ago… whole and complete, able to see.

I closed my eyes, unable to believe who was in front of me, and then opened them again. I then looked down, at my hands. Sentiment, feelings which I hadn't felt in a long time were now flooding through me yet again. Getting to every single part of my very being and soul. A deep love which I knew had never truly dissapeared, not even with her death, was back again. I couldn't help but sigh, surprised, relieved, amazed… I looked up at her. She was beautiful, practically shining with the silver light that filled the halls.

_Beautiful._

"I thought you were dead, I mourned you… and yet you are here. I saw it myself, you were killed by pack of orcs! You died in my hands!" I then repeated. I could feel tears start to build up in my eyes, but did not let them fall.

I leaned in, towards the golden bars, and rested my head there. I could feel the cold of the metal on my skin, reminding me in a strange way that this was not at all a dream, that it was real. She did the same thing and leaned forwards, resting her head against the golden bars and against my head. The coldness of the metal got mixed with her own heat, and I looked up just in time to see her bring her hand towards my jaw and rest it there.

"Ava, how is this possible? How can this not be a dream? I saw you die in my arms, and yet I find you here" I said aloud, repeating the same thing yet again.

She looked up at me, locking our glazes together. "I did not die, Thranduil. Not truly. I lied back then, I am not an elf. If I was I would not be alive right now" she started saying, with her hand still on my jaw, stroking my skin. "I am a maiar, the oracle of Eru. I am here to aid Thorin and the others to reclaim their homeland and drive out Smaug" she then finished saying. She then moved back a bit, breaking the contact of our foreheads.

Our eyes were still locked onto each other, and I brought up one of my own hands and rested it behind her neck. Soon our foreheads were touching again, and I couldn't help but to look at her, to stare at the being whom I had thought lost long ago with what surely was emotion-heavy eyes. The warmth of her neck filtered into my own body rather quickly through my hands, and I swore there and then to myself that it was the most pleasant contact I had felt in a long time. I moved my hand, and settled it on her jaw just like her own hand was set on mine.

"Ava…" I said slowly, as I breathed in. Even her scent was the same as before.

I smiled, happy. Truly happy for the first time in ages. I felt the wish to kiss her, and was abruptly reminded of the presence of the golden bars between us. With that I was also reminded of the presence of the other dwarves, whom I was sure were looking at me with curious glazes.

"Let me take you out of here, Ava, there is much we must talk about, but not here," I said. My eyes briefly fell on the dwarf with whom I had had an audience mere hours before. If I was going to let her out and she was aiding them in their quest I saw no damage in letting them out and letting them stay as guests. No matter what may have happened in the past.

She smiled at me, and I did the same thing.

_Beautiful._


End file.
